


When Enough Is Enough

by IGNiPOTENS72



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Break Up, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mother Hen Geoff Ramsey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 15:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11443884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IGNiPOTENS72/pseuds/IGNiPOTENS72
Summary: Sometimes, in their line of work it all becomes too much and someone gets hurt. Just not always in the ways they expect.





	When Enough Is Enough

It was dark in the penthouse when Ryan finally came home. It wasn't entirely unexpected given the hour, but as Ryan moved further into the house, he noticed a familiar silhouette on the couch facing away from him. He approached cautiously, and quietly set down his weapons bag as he made his way towards the couch.. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” Ryan asked rhetorically, moving around the couch to sit down next to Ray. He barely heard Ray’s soft grunt in response to his question. Ray was usually quiet, especially when he wasn’t with the other lads, but this felt different to Ryan, yet familiar at the same time. 

Something seemed to click in Ryan's mind, and he hummed in understanding. He took his mask off, setting it on the table and reached over to entwine his hand with Ray's. As a crew, they often forgot Ray hardly fought in the trenches with them, forgot that he preferred the distance and disconnection sniper rifles offered. Ray hardly ever got literal blood on his hands, but tonight had been an exception.

“I wish I could say it gets easier.” Ryan tried to reassure the lad, but knew that lying wasn't the way to go about it. “But you and I both know that that’s not true.” 

Ray pulled his hand away from Ryan, and Ryan resisted the urge to chase it. His gaze dropped to Ray’s lap where the younger male started wringing his hands, and swallowed thickly. “How do you do it?” Ray asked quietly. Ryan looked up at that moment to catch Ray’s gaze and was surprised by the look in his eyes.

“I just do what I have to in order to survive, that's all,” Ryan answered truthfully. 

They sat in silence for a few moments as Ray contemplated Ryan's answer and formulated his own thoughts. Ryan felt the air thicken the longer they sat quietly.

“I don't think I can keep doing this,” Ray finally admitted. He sounded defeated, and as Ryan turned to look at him, he noticed just how tired Ray looked. He wondered how he'd missed all the signs, and his stomach churned anxiously.

“Who we are, and who we need to be in order to survive are very different people,” Ryan said quietly.

“You say it like we don't have a choice. If you had to, could you walk away from it all tomorrow?”

Ray's tone was accusing, and for good reason. Ryan had a reputation, and wouldn't lie to himself and say he didn't enjoy his job. Ray, however, had been a different story. Ryan knew only the bones of Ray's history pre-Fakes, but what he did know what that he'd only used this life as a means to feed himself and keep a roof over his head. 

Ryan breathed in slowly through his nose, letting the breath out heavily. He knew he should feel more panic than he did, but honestly he knew this thing between them would never last. Ray wasn't one to do any one thing or stay in any one place for too long. 

“So is this it then?” Ryan asked.

Ray turned sideways to face Ryan with an apologetic and sad expression. “In another life we'd probably get married and grow old together.” He laughed ruefully. “But it was good while it lasted, right? R&R connection?” 

Ray chanced a grin, but it fell immediately at the revelation of what was happening hit him. 

“Will you tell the others I said goodbye? I don't think I could look Michael in the face and tell him I'm leaving.”

Ryan nodded, feeling his stomach twist from guilt, regret, and something else he couldn't name. The words ‘Stay one more night’ lingering unspoken on his tongue.

“Do you know where you'll go?” Ryan inquired softly.

“Back to Liberty City… Stay with Mama Narvaez for a bit until I get back on my feet.”

It was only then that Ryan realized that Ray had probably been planning on leaving for some time now. 

“Was it all bad?” Ryan asked. There was a bitterness in his voice he'd been unable to hide, and he averted his eyes from Ray's questioning look. 

“Not all bad, no.” There was a sincerity on Ray's voice that made Ryan believe him, and he felt his nausea subside slightly. “But, sometimes at night, memories that I'd thought I'd forgotten come back to haunt me. All those lives I took; families I've destroyed without a second thought. It was just a job, you know. It was what we did...but…” He sighed, falling back into silence.

As they sat in silence, Ryan tried again to muster the courage to ask Ray to stay, even if for one more night. Reason told him though, that it wouldn't change anything, and they'd be here again.

“I should get going,” Ray said softly. He moved to stand up, and Ryan noticed the duffel at Ray's feet for the first time.

Ryan found himself standing also, bending down first to pick up Ray's bag. Ray looked to at the gent with a sad expression, shouldering the bag as it was offered to him.

Ryan walked to the door where they hovered in limbo over what to do next. Ryan swallowed thickly. 

“I wasn't lying when I told you I loved you,” Ryan confessed. His voice caught slightly in his throat, and his emotions matched those reflected back at him in Ray's eyes. 

“I know, Rye.” Ray leaned up to kiss Ryan, threading his fingers momentarily through Ryan's hair. They lingered there for a moment, soaking each other up and trying their best to commit this moment to memory. As they parted, Ray's eyes were rimmed red with unshed tears.

“Thanks for everything,” Ray said sadly, but with sincerity, before turning to leave quickly before he changed his mind.

Ryan watched Ray go, letting him walk out of his life and knowing the unlikelihood of crossing paths again. 

Emptiness crept into his chest, and he felt his brain simultaneously screaming at him to beg Ray to stay and start compartmentalizing the pain creeping in. He pressed his back to the door, sliding down it slowly as his body went limp.

He was still there the next morning when Geoff found him. There were tear tracks cutting through Ryan's face paint, and his eyes were glazed with emptiness.

Geoff moved over to the other gent, and with some effort, pulled him to his feet. “Come on, buddy,” Geoff said, urging Ryan towards the kitchen and sitting him down at the breakfast bar.

Geoff pulled two tumblers down from the cabinet and poured the both an ample amount of whiskey. 

“Tell me what happened,” he probed, watching sympathetically as Ryan downed his first glass and poured himself another.


End file.
